This invention relates to a glutaraldehyde composition.
Glutaraldehyde in solution is well known as either a cleaning, disinfecting or sterilizing agent. It has been shown to be a powerful external bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal agent. For glutaraldehyde to be effective as such, however, the pH of the glutaraldehyde solution must be in the range of 7 to 8.5. It is difficult to maintain glutaraldehyde solutions at this pH as they are unstable.
South African Patent No. 93/0662 discloses an aqueous glutaraldehyde solution which comprises 4 to 6% m/v of glutaraldehyde, 19 to 21% m/v nonylphenyl ethoxylate, sufficient of a pH modifier to bring the pH of the solution to 6 to 7.5 and sodium acetate trihydrate in an amount that, with the nonylphenyl ethoxylate, serves to buffer the solution at the specified pH range. Such solutions have been found to be stable for a period of up to six months.
European Patent Application 0,609,106 discloses an aqueous glutaraldehyde solution which may be stable for up to six months. The solution includes an aqueous solution of glutaraldehyde, a non-ionic detergent, sodium acetate, and sufficient pH modifier to bring the solution pH to between 6.0 and 8.5. Nonylphenyl ethoxylate is disclosed as a non-ionic detergent.
It is an object of this invention to provide a new aqueous glutaraldehyde solution.